[Quick Hits]

Employee Benefits — July

1. Robert Ryan, Ecotech Pest Management, Clifton Park, N.Y.
   I am hiring a tech and was wondering what holidays do you give off? How do you work vacation time and sick time? And if they work on these days what about compensation? What other benefits do you offer?
2. Kenneth Perry, Paratex Pied Piper Pest, Anchorage, Alaska
   We give the five major days off only with pay after a three-month probation. We give one week paid vacation after one year, two after three years and up to three weeks after five years, but with seasonal stipulations always. Sick leave is 1.5 days per month, no dollar value. We do offer a very expensive health insurance at 50 percent, but no one takes us up on it.
3. Claudine Madawi-Plasman, Hawaii Fumigation & Pest Control, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
   We offer a minimum of 10 paid holidays per year. New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, two days at Thanksgiving, and two days at Christmas. Sometimes we’ll throw in a couple state holidays, and then of course we have our “beach days” when we shut it all down and potluck at the beach for a group break. Holiday pay goes into effect after a 90-day probation period.

Paid vacation leave is two weeks per year from year 1 to 5. After the 5th year it is 3 weeks paid vacation at which point employees must use at least one week of their paid vacation and choose whether they want to use remaining vacation time or cash out on it (double dip).

We also take our employees “off of the rock” each year wherein their airfare, lodging and meals are paid for but they must fund their own entertainment and rental car if they choose to get one. They can elect to take the leave without pay or use part of their paid vacation time during the trip.

Company pays 100 percent of major medical insurance along with prescription, dental, vision, acupuncture and chiropractic care for the employee only.

401(k) is set up to match employee contributions up to 8 percent after one year of service. AFLAC disability benefits are also paid in full by the company for each employee after one year of service.

Cash bonuses vary as they are contingent upon merit and the company’s financial capacity to do so. We do not issue out bonuses on a particular schedule or associate bonuses with holidays (such as Christmas or Thanksgiving). Instead, we spread it out throughout the year to keep employees on their toes as they know bonuses could be up for grabs at any time.

Key employees are provided with a take-home company vehicle and all gas is paid by the company. All other employees receive fleet fuel cards entitling them to $.20 per gallon discount on their personal gas purchases. When the bill comes we deduct it from their pay.

Obviously work clothing is provided to employees and the laundry is done in house so it’s one less thing for them to worry about.